Anyone have a saltwater aquarium?

So I have been interested in marine aquariums for a long time and think that I may take the plunge next year. Unfortunately I will be in an apartment that I plan on living in for a year or two, no more. Therefore, I am looking at a 14 gallon Biocube as the biggest tank I can get. I know that small tanks are difficult for saltwater setups and for beginners but it is my only real option.

I am hoping to have a tank that can be transported to my next home without having to completely start over. I would like to have some coral or rock structure as well as anemone's and interesting colorful plants. For fish I have seen these setup with 2 clowns, or a clown and a small angelfish. Is this realistic or hopeless?

As for equipment, what will I need to make this small tank reliable? What filters medium etc. should I use? Should I use live sand and rock in a tank this size?

Why are some pictures of tanks very dull in color and others so bright and colorful? Is it the temperature of the water that causes certain colors to bloom? The lighting and picture? I need to get to the library to check out some books on this, however last time I did I never found a good step by step instruction of how to setup a tank from the beginning.

I am thinking of looking for a used Biocube and starting from there, other than the tank expense what will a realistic equipment budget be? After that how much will I spend on rock/sand/plants in that size of a tank?

Any knowledge is helpful! I know there has to be someone on this forum in the hobby!

This is what I picture in my head...although I know mine will never look this good... This is also a 29 gallon so mine will be on a smaller scale, however this is the idea and color I would like to achieve.

Color has to do with lighting. Better/brighter lighting results in more pop from the plants and fish, but you'll also need the right plants/fish/coral to get nice color.

I had south american cichlids, african cichlids, cichlids that couldn't be identified (even on a cichlid forum) and numerous other tank setups. Eventually it got boring.

Buy used, that's my only suggestion.

As PHeller mentioned, lighting is key for the colors. Metal Halide is nice but runs hot and burns the wattage. LEDs are the new rage. Compact Fluorescents are a good buy. Water movement is important as well as the amount of water. 14 gals will mean very strict water maintenance. As in keeping on top of the chemistry and topping off from evaporation and good temperature control.

As for costs, it will be a wee bit lower than the 29. Live stock from a reputable source will be worth it. As you need the flexibility to move, keep the live stock simple: mushroom corals, a couple of snails, and maybe a tank raised clown or shrimp. In any case, you'll need 5 to 10 lbs of live rock to cycle the tank when you start and provide a stable substrate. It's cool to see the copepods zoom around in an established tank. Go light on the sand. very light, like in a dusting to an 1/8th on the bottom. Don't need much. Get friendly with the local fish stores to figure out who you like to deal with.

As with any hobby, costs can spiral out of control. the biocube should have decent water movement, but pumps and lights and heaters should be replaced if used, unless the seller has new parts to give you as part of the sale. if not, then it's just maintenance with better than OEM parts. On my tanks, I did not run any chemical filtration; that's what the live rock is for. Just mechanical to filter out detritus. In fact if you can get an aquafuge (basically a very small tank) in line, you can set up an alternating light cycle with macro algae to keep the water chemistry very stable; plus, the additional water mass will help with that too.

oh, for the 30 gallon setup I had, money spent over time was about a grand for everything, including a 20 gal sump and 1 gal aquafuge. Then four years later, we moved 6 hours away. had to give away everything. But now the kids are clamoring for "Nemo!", so we are going to go small (15 gal or so).

And a protein skimmer is a very good addition to a set up.

Hey thanks! Is it better to use live sand, sand or crushed coral for a base?

Joshua wrote: Hey thanks! Is it better to use live sand, sand or crushed coral for a base?

You'll get different opinions based on each person's personal tastes. Some of it depends on what critters you want in the tank, crushed coral can be too coarse for some bottom dwellers.

My preference is no substrate, makes it easier to clean. Lots of live rock though. With the smaller tank you'll probably want something in there for the biomass. I did a 20 gallon salt with sand many years ago.

I'm currently on the very long process of setting up a 210 gallon reef tank in our house. But it is being done as a built in and the construction part of the project has kind of snowballed so I've still got a ways to go before I get the tank up and running.

Joshua wrote: So I have been interested in marine aquariums for a long time and think that I may take the plunge next year. Unfortunately I will be in an apartment that I plan on living in for a year or two, no more. Therefore, I am looking at a 14 gallon Biocube as the biggest tank I can get. I know that small tanks are difficult for saltwater setups and for beginners but it is my only real option. I am hoping to have a tank that can be transported to my next home without having to completely start over. I would like to have some coral or rock structure as well as anemone's and interesting colorful plants. For fish I have seen these setup with 2 clowns, or a clown and a small angelfish. Is this realistic or hopeless?

No angelfish in something that small. Stick with a clown and a goby or something similar

As for equipment, what will I need to make this small tank reliable? What filters medium etc. should I use? Should I use live sand and rock in a tank this size?

I use filter floss which I replace every 3-4 days and activated carbon which I change every month or so. Yes to live rock/sand

Why are some pictures of tanks very dull in color and others so bright and colorful? Is it the temperature of the water that causes certain colors to bloom? The lighting and picture? I need to get to the library to check out some books on this, however last time I did I never found a good step by step instruction of how to setup a tank from the beginning.

All of the above. LEDs are said to offer more "pop" and "shimmer"

I am thinking of looking for a used Biocube and starting from there, other than the tank expense what will a realistic equipment budget be? After that how much will I spend on rock/sand/plants in that size of a tank?

Do your best at budgeting, and then add a few hundred to that. Browse the local boards on Reefcentral.com for deals. Nano-reef.com is another good source of information.

Moving an aquarium sucks. BTDT. I've never dabbled in saltwater. In fact, I pretty much got out of the hobby altogether when my newest tank split a seam and took a 40-gallon leak in my downstairs family room.

I keep a little 10-gallon freshwater tank now since the kids wanted some fish.

Good luck! A nice aquarium is definitely a thing of beauty, eh?

Joshua wrote: I need to get to the library to check out some books on this, however last time I did I never found a good step by step instruction of how to setup a tank from the beginning.

How I set up my tanks...

ingredients:

• as many gallons needed of saltwater mixed up and ready to go
• cured live rock
• live sand if you want (I personally prefer to put the sand in the aquafuge).
• the tank where you want it

In the empty tank, place the live rock where ya want. Then sand. then the H20. Let it run for at least a week. Or until the ammonia and nitrates are not readable. Basically like a fresh water tank in that regard. And it's fun to see what sprouts out of the live rock, before you stock the tank. If the live rock is not "cured", you will just have to wait longer for the tank to cycle.

Don't forget to google for biocube mods to see what people have done to enhance the water flow, lighting, filtration, etc..

Hold on to styrofoam coolers that are used in shipping. those coolers can be used for the live stock and rocks when you're ready to move.

have fun!

I had a tenant with two 100+ gallon salt water tanks. They were amazing.

heyduard wrote: As with any hobby, costs can spiral out of control.

QFT. I started with a 20 gallon tank. Then got a 29 high (same footprint as a 20, but taller). I skipped the 55, and went right to a 90 gallon tank, with filtration system hidden in the cabinet.

Sorry, I can't remember what types of equipment I used, but the hidden system wasn't cheap. It was a modular, add-on, arrangement, with a mechanical filter, bio filter, heater, and UV treatment, pumped through PVC pipe from/to the tank.

I had a ~33 gallon plastic garbage can set up in the basement, with a pump to circulate prepped water, for maintenance changes or emergency (never had one, though).

i got into nano tanks back in my college days (before there was really an industry to support it), and hauled a half-drained, simple 10 gal. salt setup home from my college apartment every holiday break and summer in the front seat of my car. not the best kind of travel system, but hey - i never swamped the car! it tended to smell like an old wharf for a couple days afterwards though . you certainly CAN travel with this sort of thing, but you have to plan way ahead and make sure that you have the containers to support your rock and coral. i like see-through rubbermaid containers with locking tops, and leftover salt buckets or HD orange buckets with locking tops. keep them close to a vent while traveling for AC or heat. understand that you'll probably lose some coral/fish every time and that it may be better to sell them before you move.

i've gone through a bunch of different setups over the last decade or so, and currently i have a 10 gallon reef display with another 10 gallon refugium in the cabinet that's stocked with live rock and some live sand. it uses a weir system to drain the display into the fuge (a 10 gal. is really tough to drill without breaking for a normal standpipe) and a regular 'ol fish pond pump to pump for return. battery powered DIY evaporation topoff pump, which it runs often, especially in winter. natural filtration, T5 HO lighting. the emphasis this time around was to keep it very simple and a good livable size for me, since i'm usually relocating every 5 years or so due to my wife's job. its been operating in this format for over 5 years now and i've pretty much never had a problem.

for livestock, its just some soft coral/zoas/palys, and 1 yellowtail damsel. simple simple simple, and even though i can't keep more exotic stuff i love it and enjoy the relaxing effect enough as it is...and keeping it up doesn't stress me out. i've had plenty of fish over the years, and generally you can't go wrong with either a goby or a damsel/basslet in something small. the key is never stocking 2 fish that are territorial or trying to keep a high bioload without dedicating yourself to changing the water on a strict schedule. if i could recommend my favorite fish, it would be the Orchid Dottyback - curious, beautiful, and active. a little harder to find and sometimes pricey.

you can do it on the cheap(er), but wait until you find what you want. as you've already seen, when people move, they tend to dump their setups in desperation which is where you can pounce. i often enjoy trading coral frags through local clubs or boards as well which is a fun way to get new stuff.

cruise forums for a good couple months and get up to speed on water chemistry, jargon, and equipment. just be warned, it can be very addictive stuff.

Thanks for the input guys!

Does anybody know of a good place to buy used tanks? I haven't been able to find any used Biocubes yet...I have plenty of time though because this won't begin until August.

Joshua wrote: Does anybody know of a good place to buy used tanks? I haven't been able to find any used Biocubes yet...I have plenty of time though because this won't begin until August.

my first salt water tank was a tradition 15 gal high (same footprint as a 10 gal); so it was not expensive at all new and I could use 10 gal tanks stands, which were inexpensive as well. I had a hang on back skilter (meh) for filtration and feeble skimming. What did I know? I was starting out before there was hipo intraweb access for the unwashed masses. I went with the high tank so I could stack the live rock to good effect. You may want to consider a sump as well, if you can get the tank plumbed for an overflow and return (shouldn't be expensive). The sump is a good place for the filter media, skimmer, circulation pump, and topping off the water levels. use a tradition tank like a 10 gal for the sump, if it fits inside the stand. we've haven't even talked T5 CF's yet. See the costs start to spiral! That's an advantage of an all-in-one. the bits are included and the price is the price for the hardware.

if you want to try a pico all-in-one, you could get away with one shrimp and softies, maybe. it will be much easier to move.

What type of filtration is best in a tank this size too?

Mine is 2 part - mechanical and biological

Mechanical:

Goes through filter floss (buy a big bag from Joann's for $10) - replace every 3-4 days Activated carbon - replace every month or so.

Biological:

20 #'s of live rock and 20#'s of live sand (I think) Refugium in middle chamber - ball of chaeto in there which gets 7 hours of light every night.

This is for a 24 Gallon NanoCube but the same would apply for you. If possible run a skimmer. I just dont have the room for one.